As some of you will know I have debating about Rupert's bitting for a while and have avoided putting him into a Liverpool as he hated the pelham I tried him in. But today I decided to bite the bullet and just longrein him in one of the shetlands Liverpools (Mac and Polo take 4.5" bits, Rupert really takes a 4.75" now but a 4.5" was ok for an experiment).
And he went beautifully in it I was expecting the usual trantrums and crunching of the bit etc but he took it quietly and was better than he is in his usual french link (which had been the only bit he accepted so far). I only had him on the snaffle setting and he still backed off the bit a little, but less than he usually does in his FL and he worked so much better in it.
I have never seen him go so well, he was just incomparable. He has nice paces anyway but today he was giving me a level of collection and lengthened strides as well as a lovely working trot.
Things would have been made much easier by a flat area without natural hazards but he did really really well.
I was getting rather overexcited and I am now more determined than ever that I have to drive him - he just has makings of a really smart little driving pony. Very excited now and am determined that however long it takes to get him in harness I am determined to do it! I can't not, he is just perfect for what I have always said I would have if I had a bigger driving pony...I just didn't realise he had it in him initially!
And he went beautifully in it I was expecting the usual trantrums and crunching of the bit etc but he took it quietly and was better than he is in his usual french link (which had been the only bit he accepted so far). I only had him on the snaffle setting and he still backed off the bit a little, but less than he usually does in his FL and he worked so much better in it.
I have never seen him go so well, he was just incomparable. He has nice paces anyway but today he was giving me a level of collection and lengthened strides as well as a lovely working trot.
Things would have been made much easier by a flat area without natural hazards but he did really really well.
I was getting rather overexcited and I am now more determined than ever that I have to drive him - he just has makings of a really smart little driving pony. Very excited now and am determined that however long it takes to get him in harness I am determined to do it! I can't not, he is just perfect for what I have always said I would have if I had a bigger driving pony...I just didn't realise he had it in him initially!